Two-year, $17 million rebuild of Clearwater’s Highway 24 and I-94 interchange begins in July

(KNSI) – A two-year, $17 million project to rebuild the Highway 24 and Interstate 94 interchange in Clearwater begins in July.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation says the work will roll out in two stages, starting on Tuesday, July 7th. Crews will spend 2026 preparing the work zone. In 2027, MnDOT will build a new bridge, reconstruct the roadway and complete the roundabout connections.

Highway 24 will stay open throughout construction with one lane in each direction. Drivers should expect reduced speeds, lane shifts, no shoulders and changes to access as crews work through the area. On I-94, the project will require shoulder closures and periodic off-peak lane closures.

The project will build a new Highway 24 bridge over I-94, southeast of the current bridge, and reconstruct Highway 24 from Wright County Road 145, also known as 179th Street, to Smith Street. MnDOT plans two roundabouts at the I-94 westbound and eastbound ramps, a teardrop-style roundabout at Highway 24 and County Road 145, and new road approaches at Ash Street and Nelson Drive. Crews will also extend the multi-use trail and sidewalks between County Road 145 and County Road 75.

The work will connect with Wright County’s roundabout project at Highway 24 and County Road 7, set to be built from mid-July through fall 2026.

MnDOT says that when it’s finished, the rebuilt interchange will offer safer access, smoother traffic flow and improved connections for pedestrians and cyclists along Highway 24.

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